I do IT support for Purdue University and I have got to tell you that SO much stuff is messed up just because of the way Vista comes configured. All of the functionality from XP is still there... but in an effort to idiot-proof their OS Microsoft has just made everything that much harder to fix, both for users and us support folks.

At home I use a MacBook, and I still like to have Windows for certain games and the like, so I use BootCamp, and I have to tell you, it boots Windows faster than most PCs. And weirdly enough, MacOS boots faster after I set up dual-boot... go figure.

What it comes down to, I think, is that Windows is a better business-class OS; maybe not even because it's more capable, but because it's been the business class OS for years and years. Business are stuck with it, because the systems they need to run are written for Windows. If you're a home user though, I don't believe I could be given even ONE good reason why Mac OS X isn't the better choice. It is more expensive, I'll admit, but for me the extra price is definitely worth what I'm saved in headaches.

Also be wary on the anti-virus issue with MACs. Right now experts say you don't necessarily need it if you are only using at home and have no valuable info on it, but that could change quickly if MAC were ever to increase its market share enough to become a target.
Well, it is now the leading computer used by college students, and that constitutes a target. The MAC is not immune to virus', it is just that it is such a small market share that it hasn't been worth hackers times to come up with virus' and worms against it, yet.
MAC users should be thankful they have a small market share and do not have to deal with everything MS does. I can only imagine what would happen if OSX got hit by even half of what MS gets hit with....

No OS is immune to viruses or other problems, but Windows is especially badly vulnerable. Many things that have been done with that OS make it so. Examples include: integrating the web browser so deeply into the OS (done in order to win the browser wars as well as to make their case that the browser was essential to the OS when facing antitrust investigations for their actions in the browser wars), ActiveX, the deep integration of MS Office combined with Office treating documents as executables, the way windows hides extensions for files combined with the way that it determines filetypes by extension (think about files called funnypicture.jpg.exe where you don't see the exe - a major reason for many users clicking on executable file while thinking they are safe files).

Also, keep in mind that most of the experts proclaiming the vulnerability of OS X and Linux to viruses and claiming that the only thing keeping those users safe is the small marketshare are in the business of selling antivirus software.

No OS is immune to viruses or other problems, but Windows is especially badly vulnerable. Many things that have been done with that OS make it so. Examples include: integrating the web browser so deeply into the OS (done in order to win the browser wars as well as to make their case that the browser was essential to the OS when facing antitrust investigations for their actions in the browser wars), ActiveX, the deep integration of MS Office combined with Office treating documents as executables, the way windows hides extensions for files combined with the way that it determines filetypes by extension (think about files called funnypicture.jpg.exe where you don't see the exe - a major reason for many users clicking on executable file while thinking they are safe files).

Also, keep in mind that most of the experts proclaiming the vulnerability of OS X and Linux to viruses and claiming that the only thing keeping those users safe is the small marketshare are in the business of selling antivirus software.

Russ

Actually the person making the claims (Rich Mogul), is a MAC security expert and does not advocate using anti-virus software on a MAC at this time. Malware writers will target MACs only when it becomes profitable for them to do so, once that happens OSX will be just as vulnerable, if not more so without Microsofts years of experience dealing with it already.
Many of the integrations you listed above actually help protect against vulnerabilities, not make it more vulnerable. By integrating it makes it easier for MS to help you keep everything updated. People will not go without these add-ons as you simply would not get anywhere near the web experience you have now without them, so by integrating it makes it easier for MS to track security breaches and respond with fixes faster. Most of these things were demanded by the consumer, and now MS is faced with figuring out how to meet that demand and still ensure some measure of security.
Here is a link to the article concerning MAC security:TidBITS Safe Computing: Should Mac Users Run Antivirus Software?
I would just quote it but I don't think I can for copyright reasons. Anyway, if we are to debate MAC Vs. PC I think we need a whole new thread altogether (and more server room please!).
As for the subject of the thread: While some have had no problems with Vista and are happy with it, I think more are unhappy and therefore its rating is going to be low right now thus making it unpopular.
My policy still stands, never by a first generation OS (for the PC that is).

Maverick,
I'm not going to debate Mac vs PC with you in this or another thread. There's nothing to gain by it. Besides, I'm not enough of a Mac believer to argue that side of it. We'll just have to walk away from this each thinking the other is wrong about at least some of the issues involved in the debate.

I will gladly agree with you on the subject of Vista. Stay away from it. The issues are much deeper than the standard problems of a first release however - SP1 is already out and the problems are not fixed. Stay away, stay far away. Ballmer may be losing his job over this tragedy of an OS.

I just built a new PC and stuck with XP Pro. The benchmark tests I've seen show Vista is slower than XP in nearly every task, and there are still driver issues to work out. I'll just wait for Windows 7.

I loved my XP, but literally wore it out. The letters were worn off the keys and all the portals were "wallered out".

So...DH got me a new one with Vista Home Basic and I HATE IT! It's not compatible with any of my programs, doesn't recognize my printer, tells me the part of my hard drive for back-ups is full and I can't empty it out, so I can't do new back-ups...shall I go on?

About the only thing that I was disappointed with about Windows Vista is that you no longer get the Windows disk when you buy a new pc. What if the disk is needed as part of installing software that requires it?

I bought an Acer Aspire 4720Z laptop pc in February, which I'm using now, and Vista seems to work well. It DOES have some more "built-in" protection features against would-be-hackers, worms and spyware, such as Windows Defender.

But it would not have hurt Microsoft to study it a little bit more before they made it available for pc's.